Means of heating inclosures electrically



Feb. 21, 1928; 1,660,218

r c. L. BURGHER MEANS OF HEATING INGLOSURES ELECTRICALLY Filed Oct. 27.1925 INVENTOR which are sai the mode n which I Patented Feb. 21, 1928.

CLARENCE L. anaemia, on NEW Yonx, n. Y.

MEANS OF HEATING INCLOSUBES ELECTRICALLY.

Application filed October 27, 1925. Serial No. 85,106,

invention relates to electric heaters of the class in which a horizontalheat conductmg tube, inclosin an electrical heating elementelectricallyinsulated therefrom but in heat conducting relation thereto,is provided with a longitudinal series of vertically ar-' rangedtransverse radiating plates in heat conductin contact with the tube totransfer the heat from the resistant of the heating element to thevertical sections of air between the plates.

My invention consists primarily in prolonging the plates verticallyabove the tube to a great height relatively to the width of the platesso as to form heated and unimpeded vertical air ducts, into the lowerends and open sides of which the cool air" passes and uses between thewalls of the ducts formed by the plates in the form zontal series ofvertical columns of air, progressively heated on both sides by prolongedcontact with the heated walls ofthe ducts and are thus impelled rapidlyupward, so as to accelerate the circulation of the heated aircolumns'upward from the dubts and throughout the room or inclosure to beheated substantially as hereinafter more'ffully set forth. My inventionalso consists in arranging the resistant in close heat conductingproximity to the upper side of the horizontal tube and spacing it arelatively greater distance from the lower side of the tube, so as toavoid unnecessary Waste of heat downward from the tube.

My invention also consists in arranging a heat insulating materialbetween the resistant and the bottom of the tube, to avoid unnecessaiywaste of heat downward.

My invention also consists in arranging webs of high heat conductivitybetween the spaced walls of the vertical ducts and in heat conductingrelation with the tube and walls so as better to transmit the heat fromthe sections of tube between the walls to the d walls.

In order that mg invention may be fully understood, I sha first describein detail at present prefer to carry the invention into practice andthen particularly point out claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of thisapplication in which'like parts are designated by the same numbers inall thefigurea of a horiaround which the invention in the Figure 1 is alongltudinal sectional elevationof an electric heater embodying myinvention.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional elevation of the same on the line 2-2,Figure 1.

Figures 3 and 4 are detail views of parts of the electric heatingelement used in this embodiment of my invention.

Figure 5 is a detail view of one of the end bases of the same.

In the particular embodiment of my invention thus illustrated, 8designates a horizontal tube which may be of any suitable section and ofany metal or material of good heat conductivity, such as aluminum,bronze, brass, copper or iron. in this example the tube is shownsupported on end bases 7. In

the tube 8 is placed an electrically insulated tube heating elementwhich may be of any eflicientand suitable character. In the resentillustration of my invention, the catin element consists of a bar Q ofelectric insu ating and heat insulating material, such for example asclay or a compound thereof, having a longitudinal groove 14 along itsupper side, in which is holder 10 consistin bf a flat bar 12 of electricinsulating but eat conducting material, such as, for example, alundum orasbestos, is wrapped, in this example, lengthwise, the coil of resistantwire 13 connected to the source of electricity. This wire I, at present,prefer to make of nickel chromium. I

The resistant holder 10 is by preference covered on top by a sheet 10'of electric insulating but heat conducting material, such as, forexample, asbestos or alundum, no thicker than necessary to preventescape of electricity from the resistant wire 13 to the tube 8.

In the present illustration of my invention, I have shown the upper andinner surface of the tube 8, as well as the upper surface of theresistant bar 9 and resistant holder 10 flattened to bring the heatedresistant wire and its holder 10 as closely in contact as possible withthe upper wall of the tube 8 and relatively remote from the lower wallof the tube 8 so as to transfer as much as possible of the heat wall ofthe tube 8. This unnecessary waste seated a resistant to the upper ofheat downward is also avoided in this il- 7 height relative On thehorizontal tube 8. is fixed in close:

heat conducting relation thereto and, in this example of my invention,formed integrally therewith, a longitudinal series of verticallyarranged transverse plates 6, which are prolonged verticall above thetube 8 to a great y to their width so as to form a horizontal series ofvertical air ducts whose walls formed by the plates 6 receive the heatby convection directly from the tube 8 and the electric heating elementinclosed therein and in heat conducting contact therewith.

I at present prefer to make the plates or duct walls 6 of aluminum, butthey may be made of any other good heat conducting 7 metal or material,and although shown 1H of the vertical formed by the plates 6 into alongitudinal thin vertical columns of this example as formed integrallywith the tube, they may be made separately and fixed thereon by swagingor by any other aproved method so as to bring them into intimate heatconducting relation thereto.

The plates 8 are here shown straight in horizontal cross section, whichform is preferred, but it is evident that the ducts may be made of anyother form in section appropriate to their efiective functioning asherein set forth.

As hereinbefore briefly described, the cool air drawn into the lowerends and open sides ducts is divided by the walls series of relativelyair, which, as they ascend between the heated walls of the verticalducts, are confined therebetween and progressively heated by theprolonged contact on both sides therewith, and their ascent thuscontinuously and progressively accelerated. The result is that, insteadof a relatively stationary or slowly rising andlaterall diffusingoverheated body of air aroun ment and underheated air in the remainderof the room or inclosure, I obtain a greatly accelerated ascent of warmcolumns of air through the heated ducts and upward therefrom and thus aforced circulation and distribution of evenly heated air throughout theentire inclosure.

I claim as my invention:

1. An electric heater comprising a substantially horizontal heatconducting tube, an electric heating element extending through and inclose heat conducting relation to the tube, but electrically insulatedtherefrom, and a longitudinal series of transverse heat conductingplates fixed to the tube in heat conducting relation thereto, saidplates being substantially free of intervening obstructions and risingvertically from the heating e1ethe tube to a height relatively greatcompared to their width, and forming a longitudinal series of unimpededheated vertical air ducts.

2. An electric-heater in accord with claim 1 in which the resistant ofthe heating element is relatively remote from the lower wall of the tubeand close to its upper wall.

3. An electric heater in accord with claim 1, in which heat insulatingmaterial is interposed between the resistant andt-he lower wall of thetube.

4. An electric heater in accord with claim 1, in which longitudinal heatconducting webs between the lower parts of the plates are in close heatconducting relation to the tube and plates. I i

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature CLARENCE L. BURGHER.

